Leguizamo Joins M. Night's 'The Happening'

I hate to look forward to the next M. Night Shyamalan film after all I say about the guy, but I can't help but be intrigued. Sure, he's already done the threat-to-the-world thing, and sure, we've seen enough disaster movies of late, but you never know, it could be decent. Plus, the cast of the film, titled The Happening, is shaping up quite nicely. We've already heard about Mark Wahlberg and Zooey Deschanel. Now, John Leguizamo has joined the pic, cast as Wahlberg's character's best friend. Since the film focuses on a family on the run from disaster, I'm not sure how big the friend role will be, but I'm hoping it's substantial. I can't possibly be the only person who thinks Leguizamo should be receiving bigger roles.

That isn't to say I think Leguizamo is getting the shaft from Hollywood. He's certainly got a great resume and career. But after watching him in Crónicas again recently, I am spoiled. I should be satisfied with seeing him as supporting characters, though, because he can often redeem a bad movie -- or at least be the only good part of it, as he is with Spawn. As a character actor, he is good in comedies, dramas, musicals, zombie films, gangster movies, Shakespeare's tragedies, in drag, in a fat suit, as an animated sloth. I'm excited to see him later this year in Mike Newell's adaptation of Love in the Time of Cholera and I might even have to turn my television on and check him out in Spike TV's miniseries The Kill Point. Other than that, it's anybody's guess as to when his recent indie films, The Take, The Babysitters, The Ministers and Where God Left His Shoes will be released.